


Can I take your order please?

by Bard_the_Bowman



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Angst, Blind to their feelings, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots, M/M, McDonald's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-23 15:07:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11992275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bard_the_Bowman/pseuds/Bard_the_Bowman
Summary: When Simon snuck out, he was not expecting to bump into his roommate in McDonald's...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based off a prompt from  
> http://otpprompts.tumblr.com/post/162910397653/ideas-for-how-a-pair-of-teenagers-could-meet
> 
> "A is the teenager that snuck out of the house on a summer night. B is on the window night shift at the closest McDs."

S I M O N

It's late. My last summer in a Children's home has just begun and already I'm missing my freedom. Here, at this one, I have to share a room with five other boys, as opposed to just Baz, like at Watford. These cheap bunk beds creak horribly with the slightest movement.

I'm hungry too. The food here is nowhere near as good as the food at Watford, and there's not enough for me after I've spent the year eating and eating. I make the decision. I'm going to sneak out. 

There's a McDonalds a few miles down the road. And for once, I can practice my magic. I could do with some practice.

I fumble for my wand. It's hidden under my pillow, the boys in my room already know not to disturb my bed. They seem to be decent, better than Baz. They just avoid me completely. I think I scare them. But it's good. No constant plotting. And none of them have that stupid widow's peak like him. Although none of them could pull it off as well as he does.

" **Quiet as a mouse.** " I whisper, pointing at the bed. I don't know if it will have worked. It doesn't always. My magic is so unpredictable. 

Holding my breath, I stand up, and nearly groan as the wood creaks.  
"Simon?" Benji, my twelve year old bunkmate, stirs and opens an eye. 

"Go back to sleep." I hush him, and he sleepily blinks, and then closes his eyes again. I stand still, watching, waiting, until his breathing settles again, before I creep across to the window and wrench the handle open, shoving the glass as far open as possible. It's stiff, but fortunately it's almost silent, with only a quiet shfffffff as it slides back. 

I quickly grab my shoes from under my bed, my coat from where it's hanging on the wall and I throw them on, before I carefully climb onto the windowsill and slip out through the open window, pushing it slightly to close it again as I stand on the small sloping roof underneath our room. From here, I have to either jump down two floors (inadvisable, I would land on the stone path) or take a flying leap to the tree in the garden and climb down that. 

I put my wand in between my teeth and flatten my back against the wall before taking a step down and pushing off with my legs. My outstretched fingers just reach the branch and I grab on, swinging, before the branch snaps and I crash down to the floor, landing on my side.

"Ow." I mutter, spitting out my wand. That bloody hurt. Luckily there is grass underneath the tree here rather than a stone path, so I'm not completely obliterated. I stand up, wincing, and rubbing my hip and leg. My elbow is grazed and it stings, dripping some blood. 

" **Good as new.** " I point my wand at my arm and the skin around the edges of the wound seems to stretch, creeping forward until all that is left is the blood smeared around my arm.

I wince as I take a step, my hip smarting painfully, but looking back up at the window there's clearly no way I'm getting back in there. Besides, I'm still hungry. And with a **Hurry up** cast on my feet and a **Daddy Long Legs** to make my stride longer, I can walk much faster and more efficiently than anyone could normally. 

It only takes twenty minutes to cover the seven miles to the McDonalds. When I step inside and take off the spells, it's quiet. There's a few people around, mostly truckers, sitting at the tables. One couple is in some chairs by the window, and there's several staff members chatting at the back. 

I limp up to the counter, hip still hurting, and a tall guy with a little black ponytail spins around to take my order.

My heart stops. 

"Baz?"

 

B A Z

Shit.

What the fuck is _he_ doing here? 

Simon fucking Snow. 

Here he is, looking glorious as ever, even if his clothes don't seem to fit exactly right, and I'm here in this STUPID fucking uniform looking worse than I've ever looked.

Stay cool, Basilton. Stay cool. 

"Snow." I sneer. 

Shit, how the fuck am I supposed to stay calm and collected? I am going to be a laughing stock.

S I M O N

"Snow." His lip curls. 

Wow, well this was unexpected. 

"Nice uniform." I say. I realise I mean it too. There's that damn widow's peak peeking out from underneath his cap. How does he even make a grey shirt look good? Ugh, he's so infuriating. I hate him.

"What do you want?" He asks. I'm taken aback for a minute, until I realise he means my order. 

"Oh." I dig in my pocket, and find the £10 I brought with me. "Um... a Big Mac meal please. And a Crunchie McFlurry."

Baz nods curtly, taking my money, and turns on his heel, moving to prepare my food. I stand awkwardly, looking around at the tables, drumming my fingers on the counter. I slouch to the side and then inhale sharply- my hip is still pretty painful. 

Baz raises an eyebrow as he gives me a paper bag. "You alright there, Snow?" 

"A bit bruised." I smile ruefully and rub my hip. "I had to sneak out to get here, and I wasn't the most successful."

Baz rolls his eyes and takes off his cap and apron, hanging them up and stepping out from around the counter. "Of course you weren't. You're no good at anything."

"Hey!" I glare at him, moving to a table. "Yes I am!"

B A Z

Why am I doing this? Why am I following him to his table? What is wrong with me?

Snow seems to be wondering the same thing as I sit opposite him in the corner, hidden from everyone else's view.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

I do my best scoff. "Oh, come off it Snow, you really thought the extra portion of chips was yours for free? They're for me. I'm hungry."

He digs in the bag and produces two portions of chips. "Oh. Um..."

He slides one of them across the table to me and I take them, purposefully not thanking him.

"So, Snow." I say, putting a few of the chips into my mouth and holding my hand over my face as I chew, before swallowing and continuing. "Aren't you supposed to be at your stupid orphanage?"

"It's not an orphanage. It's a children's home." Snow glares at me, picking up his burger with both hands and resting his elbows on the table. I notice he has blood smeared up one arm, but I fed on the way to work and as much as I wouldn't mind licking it off him, I'm content with my chips for now.

"Whatever." I say, rolling my eyes. "The point is, you sneaked out."

Simon shifted guiltily. "So what if I did?"

"You already admitted it, you know. Besides, I won't tell anyone you came here if you don't tell anyone I work here. My father made me, he thought it would be good for me, and you know what a laughing stock I would be if it got out."

Simon froze, his burger halfway to his mouth. "Deal."

"Shake on it." I held out my hand, and we shook. I held on for just a little longer than I should have.

"The uniform suits you." He says, dropping my hand to take a few of his chips and bring them to his mouth. His blue eyes are sparkling as he says it, he clearly thinks this is hilarious.

Damn him and his heart-melting smile.

"Everything suits me, Snow. It's called being attractive. Of course, you wouldn't know about that."

"Of course." He agrees, still smiling. "I don't doubt that you could pull off anything."

Is- is my face going red? It had better not be. I don't blush. And I especially don't blush for Simon Snow.

He's too busy tucking into his burger to notice. Crowley, that boy can eat. He's already finished his chips and only has a small bit of burger left. I eat another of my chips, careful to not show my fangs. 

"Stop staring at me." Simon says, pulling his McFlurry closer and taking off the lid. I didn't even realise I was, but I think I'm blushing again.

I look back down at my hands. Come on Baz, think of something witty to say back. My mind is being too slow though, and Simon speaks again first.

"You don't look as pale as normal. You look healthier."

I realise I must be visibly blushing then, but he hasn't realised that's what it is. 

"Now who's staring, Snow?" I snap, raising my head again to meet his eyes. "I'm perfectly healthy, thank you very much."

If I'm ill, then it's only because I'm love sick for him.

Of course, he doesn't need to know that.

He shrugs, putting a spoonful of ice cream and chocolate into his mouth. There's a bit of chocolate just above his lip now.

I wouldn't mind kissing it off. 

"Got something on my face?" He asks. "Or are you madly in love with me?"

Thank god I have a free excuse.

"Hardly, Snow. There's chocolate sauce all round your mouth."

He swipes the back of his hand over his lips, but misses it. I roll my eyes and before I know what I'm doing, I'm leaning across the table and wiping it off with my thumb.

What. 

S I M O N

Why did he do that? 

I'm not entirely sure Baz knows either, he looks sort of startled with himself. I can tell he's trying not to show it. 

He's still touching my face. Frozen, I think, in shock with himself. I'm frozen too, but that's because I ate too much ice cream in the first scoop and now I have brain freeze.

I wince, and it jerks him out of whatever trance he's in. He snatches his hand back like he's been burnt, and looks down at his chips, eating a few more to distract himself. I'm busy holding my hand to my head, getting the icy feeling to subside. 

"Sorry. I have cold hands." He apologised awkwardly.

"It was the fucking ice cream, you idiot." I think I just made it even more awkward.

He stands to leave, reaching out to pick up his container of chips. I realise I don't want him to go, so I grab hold of his wrist.

"Don't go." I'm saying. Why am I saying this? Must be the brain freeze. 

"I'm supposed to be working." He says dryly, trying to pull his arm back. I hold on tighter.

"There's nobody here. And... I don't want to go back to the home. It's good to see someone familiar, even if it's..." I tail off, not knowing how to finish that sentence.

He sighs, and sits down again. I let go of him, but I find I don't want to. I want to still be holding on. 

I even want to be holding his hand properly, rather than his wrist. 

It's just because he's a friendly face, that's all. It's nice to know the magic all still exists, and that I haven't imagined it all. And despite everything, I miss sharing a room with him. It's so much nicer to have just one roommate. 

"Do you want another chip?" Baz offers. I look at him, unsure as to what this is about. "A chip, Snow." He confirms. "It's potato fried in oil and salt." 

"I know that, but I've already had some chips." I state, and he rolls his eyes. He rolls his eyes a lot. He wouldn't be Baz if he didn't. 

"Yes, but you're Simon Snow and you're constantly eating. Besides, I don't want the rest of mine." He pushes the container over and I grin at him gratefully, taking a chip and dipping it into my McFlurry.

Baz pulls a face. "That's disgusting, Snow." 

B A Z

That really is disgusting, but it's also classically Simon.

"No it's not." He insists, putting them into his mouth. "Try it."

"No, thank you."

"Go on!" He picks out a chip, dips it into the ice cream and pushes it towards my face. I shake my head, but he presses it against my lips, so I give in and open my mouth, taking the chip and eating it in just two bites so as not to cause my fangs to pop from use. 

Snow grins like an idiot as I pull as face. "It's good, isn't it?"

"Better than I thought it would be." I admit, and immediately there's another ice creamed-chip in my face. I take it without protest, catching hold of his hand to steady it as I do. 

There's salt and melted ice cream on his fingers, and without thinking (as seems to be the reoccurring theme tonight) I dart my tongue out to lick them. 

He's just watching, blushing, and I let his hand go, feeling like I should be blushing too, but I'm not. It's funny to see him flustered like that.

Why is he flustered like that? Nobody would react with anything but disgust to that, unless...

Does Snow _like_ me?

Am I in with a chance after all? 

Don't be ridiculous, Basilton.

Maybe it's time to push my luck, see how long it will take before he realises what is happening.

S I M O N

"It's good to see you again, Snow." He admits. 

"You too." I say quietly, hiding the blush that I know is spreading across my face by looking down and eating more ice cream. I've lost appetite for the chips, after whatever.... THAT was. 

And the worst part is, I didn't mind it. 

Why?

What's wrong with me?

Baz seems taken aback by my reply. Wasn't he expecting that? What did he think I'd say?

"I hate it at the home." I continue, daring to look up at him from under my fringe. "I have to share a room with loads of others. And none of them are quite right. It's just not the same as sharing a room with you."

Baz is watching, face unreadable. I can't tell what he's thinking, and I don't like it, so I press on. "They... they're all friends. I'm just a newcomer, they've been together for ages and I'm just here for the summer. There's so many of them but I feel so isolated."

Baz leans forward slightly, arm moving across the table towards me, but I can't stop the words pouring out of me. I know I didn't like it at the home, but I didn't think it was as bad as I'm now realising it is.

"None of them _like_ me, Baz. Not a single one. They're all scared of me. Me! Why am I so frustrated over this? They're a bunch of babies, why am I even affected by what they think of me?" 

My eyes are beginning to burn, I think I might be crying angry tears. Baz has taken a hold of my hand to comfort me across the table and is rubbing his thumb in gentle circles. 

"I'm not allowed to see anyone. The Mage promised me I could come with him one summer, but he's disappeared. He lied to me, Baz, and I'm still not even allowed to see Penny or Agatha or anyone!"

"You're seeing me." He says, quietly, and he's moving around the table so that he can sit next to me, facing me, cross-legged on the cushioned bench. Why is he doing that? Why am I turning to face him, drawing up one leg? "I'm here now, Snow."

"But you won't be! I'll have to go back. And the Mage will find out, you know he always does. The Mage will find out and you'll get in trouble, and he might even take you away from me." 

"He's not going to take me away. Nobody is going to take me away from you, Simon. The crucible put us together."

It crosses my mind that this is Baz. Baz, who is my evil vampire roommate. Baz, who has tried to kill me on numerous occasions. Baz, who just licked salt and ice cream off my fingers in the middle of the night, hidden away in the corner of a McDonalds...

I'm confused. And I'm frustrated. And my hip is still hurting from where I fell. And Baz is here, getting closer, and now I'm crying into his shoulder and nothing makes _sense._

"It's alright." He says, quietly, and he's rubbing my back and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. "It's alright now, Snow."

"I don't want to go back." I tell him, in a hiccupy sob, and would have laughed at that if I wasn't so miserable. I sound utterly pathetic. 

"You don't have to." He tells me, and I pull back, pulling my coat sleeve down over my palm and drying my eyes with it.

"Where else am I supposed to go?" I ask. My breathing is shaky and it's making me angry because I _shouldn't_ be upset, and being angry is just making everything _worse_.

"My house is rather large." Baz offers. 

B A Z

Why did I say that? That's weird. He'll never- 

Simon smiles a little. "You'd let me stay with you?"

I nod, relief flooding through me. Crowley, I want him to stop crying. When he's upset, everything is wrong. Simon Snow is the sun, and there's currently a black rain cloud hanging over him. I need it to stop, I need him to be happy.

"Wouldn't your parents mind?" He asks, and I shrug. 

"Almost certainly. But I'll make you our guest, and they won't be able to do anything about it."

He shakes his head, sighing, and leans forward to rest his forehead on my shoulder. Not that I mind. He must be exhausted, and I quite like just being able to hold him like this.

"We could go and get your things now." I say. "We could be back at mine in an hour."

"I don't know." His voice is shaky, muffled. His body is positioned awkwardly, and I remember he was complaining about an injury when he first arrived.

"Your hip." I venture. "Is it alright?" 

He pulls up the hem of his shirt and I see that there's already a large blueish-purple bruise spreading out from the waistband of his trousers. Tentatively, I reach out a hand, and he hisses in pain, jerking his head up as my fingertips graze the blossom of colour.

"Sorry." I retract my hand immediately, and he rests his head back down on my shoulder. "Do... do you want me to try and heal it?" 

"What spell is there for bruises on hips?" Snow asks, and I rack my brain for the answer, finally coming across one that I could use. 

"Do you trust me?" I ask pushing him up off my shoulder and holding him up. His head is still hanging down, so I use my other hand to push his chin up, searching his eyes. "Do you trust me?"

He looks wary. "Not really, Baz. You try to kill me on a regular basis."

I roll my eyes. Of course he'd bring that up. "Ignore that. Right now, do you trust me?"

He nods, and I slide my wand out from where I've been hiding it up my sleeve all evening.

"I'm not entirely sure this will work." I tell him, and I gently rest the tip of my wand against his bruise, and cast the spell. **A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.** And then, I kiss Simon Snow.


	2. Chapter 2

S I M O N

He's kissing me.

Baz Pitch is kissing me in a McDonalds at one in the morning and this is not what I ever would have expected but I'm realising now that it's everything I ever could have wanted. 

But it's just to heal me. I can feel the tingles of magic radiating from where our lips are connected, travelling over my chin and down my throat and then pouring down my chest, twisting around my side and sinking into my hip.

I pull back. He's looking at me, and I can't meet his gaze. Instead, I pull up the side of my shirt, looking at my hip, and the bruise is visibly shrinking. All the pain that I didn't realise was there is being sucked out of me and it's such a relief.

I look back at Baz. He's looking at the bruise too, but he immediately switches to catch my eyes. I can see all the worry lining his forehead, creasing his eyes and turning the corners of his mouth down. 

He's still got one hand on my chest, holding me up, but now he's trying to withdraw it. I don't want him to. I don't want him to go.

"Simon..." He tails off, but I'm taking his hand and lacing our fingers together. He's scared, I'm realising, he thinks I hated it, that I think he's weird and disgusting. But that's the opposite of what I think. 

"Baz." I say, moving my other hand to his cheek. "It's working."

And then I kiss him again.

B A Z

My mind is whirling. I'm trying to piece everything together. The blush, the pulling away, the hand holding, the kissing me again, the leaning on me, the pouring out his soul, the bruise- 

Is he just kissing me to heal himself?

He can't be, there's too much evidence. 

Right?

 _No._ He can't possibly- 

Simon pulls away again. "Baz?" He asks, looking into my eyes, concerned. I can see he's nervous that he did the wrong thing. 

"Why did you do that?" I ask, in a whisper.

"To..." Simon bites his lip, looking down and to the side, breaking our eye contact. I don't know what he's thinking. 

Oh, Crowley, I wish I knew what he was thinking.

It's too quiet. He's still not giving me any hints. 

"To get rid of the pain and the bruise." He finally says, quietly.

I can suddenly feel my heart drop, a heavy lead weight in my chest. 

"My shift's over." I say coldly, standing up. 

"No, Baz, I-"

"Goodbye, Snow."

I'm walking away, and I'm hanging up my apron and my hat ,and I'm looking back and seeing Simon slumped on the table with his face in his hands.

I can't tell if he's crying again.

I feel like such a dick.

I clock out, going to sit in my car, and before I know it I'm slumped over the steering wheel, and now I'm crying as well.

I thought I had a chance. 

I'm such a fucking idiot. 

With an angry yell, I punch the dashboard, and it bruises my knuckles but leaves a dent. 

Stupid fucking vampire strength.

Stupid idiotic feelings.

Stupid Baz.

S I M O N

I messed everything up so badly.

Crowley, I hate myself. 

Maybe I should go after him. Maybe I should run to him and apologise and tell him I was scared and just pour out everything that's going though my head right now because I sure as hell don't understand any of it myself and he might be able to make more sense of it.

Or I could cry here until I fall asleep, probably get kicked out by whoever is left working here and then get in so much trouble when I get back to the home, and get kicked out of there too. And the Mage will be angry, because I saw Baz, and I wasn't supposed to see anyone, so I'll get kicked out of Watford as well.

My heart clenches in my chest. I can't breathe. I need air.

Blindly I stumble outside, gasping, but the night is warm and it doesn't make enough difference. So I feel my way along the wall, around the corner, making sure I can't be seen from anyone inside, and sink down on the tarmac in the car park.

That's when I hear it. 

Someone else is crying too, and I can faintly hear it above my own gasping.

They're properly sobbing. I'm not so much crying as desperately trying to breathe whilst tears are all over my face.

I think I know who it is. 

I need to apologise, need to set things right. This could be my last chance. And I get up and walk over to the car, going to the drivers side and looking in.

Baz has his knees up on the seat, arms wrapped around them and head down. He has his wand in one hand, and on the other hand his knuckles are scraped and a couple of them are split, and bleeding. 

I open the door, and he looks up. I'm only half surprised to see tears rolling down his cheeks, matching my own. I knew he was crying, but it's just not something I associate with Baz.

"Get _out_ , Snow." He spits.

"I lied." I told him.

"What are you even talking about?" He is clearly angry.

I don't blame him.

"I didn't do it to heal myself." I say. "I did it because I wanted to. I didn't know that was what I've been waiting for until you kissed me first. I thought you only did it to help me, and I thought you'd hate me if you knew the truth. So I lied. And I wish I hadn't lied."

And then, I move to kiss him again.

B A Z

I'm listening to his words in disbelief, in shock at what I'm hearing and I know I must look terrible, with messy hair and red eyes, because he does too, and it shocks me even more when he moves forwards to kiss me again.

Thud.

Of course, with Simon being Simon, he has smacked his forehead on the top of the car doorway and completely ruined the moment.

He reels back, slightly stunned, clutching his head, and despite my efforts I snort a laugh. Then both of us are laughing through the tears, and I'm unfurling from myself and getting out the car and going closer to Simon, who still has a hand on his head. I'm taller than him, so standing so close to him it's easy for me to move his hand and tap the injured spot with my wand. 

" **Kiss it better.** " I say, and I do. Then I rub my eyes with my sleeve and smile at him. "You're an idiot, Simon Snow." 

"Sorry." He chews on his lip, looking up at me with red rimmed eyes, and I can't stand how helpless he looks like this, so naturally, I put my hands on his cheeks and kiss him.

It's a good kiss. 

He's warm, so warm, and he seems to be melting into me. I can feel his arms sliding around my waist, and his lips are rough. I've seen him chew on them enough to know why.

This time, I'm not busy worrying, and I can concentrate on how he feels. His face is soft under my hands, and can't resist gently stroking my thumbs across the little bumps of his moles.

We break apart, and Simon is shining again.

"I think I'd like to stay with you," Is the first thing he says, quietly. "If that's still alright, that is."

I laugh. "God, yes. You really ARE an idiot. I'm not letting you go again. Those two minutes before you came back out here were the worst two minutes of my life."

He grins, and I feel so happy watching his face light up that I think I might die from how adorable he is. "Then let's go." He says.

"Don't we need to get your things?" I ask, pulling back but taking his hand to lead him around the car.

"Fuck the things. I have everything that I own right here other than a too-small pair of pyjamas." Simon tells me as I open the car door for him. 

I'm amazed at how badly these people can treat him. It's only been a few days and he's clearly starving hungry, or he wouldn't have crept out to come to McDonalds. 

I shake my head, closing his door and going around the car to get into the driver's seat. "To my house, then?" I ask, and he nods. 

"As long as it won't get you in trouble with your parents."

"It'll undoubtedly get me in trouble with my parents, Snow, but that's a risk I'll take if it means getting to keep you with me."

S I M O N

This is all happening so fast.

But I love it.

I'm free of the home. I'm free of being isolated and alone. 

Maybe I'm even free to kiss Baz whenever I want, now.

"I'm glad I found you." I admit, as Baz starts the car and pulls out of the car park. Once he gets onto the long stretch of country road, he takes my hand. 

"So am I." He says. "I never thought that this would ever happen."

"How long have you thought about this for?" I ask, curiously, turning to look at him.

He's silent for a moment, brushing my knuckles with his thumb, and I begin to wonder if he didn't hear me. But then- 

"Since fifth year," It's barely a whisper, and he doesn't turn his head to look at me. "When you wouldn't leave me alone. I couldn't do anything about it. There wasn't any escape."

I'm watching his face, taking in his profile, and I see when he flicks his eyes sideways to look at me, even if he immediately looks back forwards, pretending that he didn't. I get the feeling that he doesn't think that this can be real, like if he concentrates too hard he'll wake up and it will all have been a dream.

I squeeze his hand, to let him know that won't happen. He looks startled. I don't think Baz is used to physical contact.

"And you've kept it hidden that whole time?" I ask. 

Baz smirks. "It's a miracle, isn't it? I'm surprised it took so long for people to work out."

I hide a smile, turning to look out the window. It's all dark outside, with just a crescent moon hanging lazily in the sky. 

"If you'd told me yesterday- no, even if you'd told me a few hours ago that this would be where I am right now, I would have laughed in your face." I fill the silence. It's not uncomfortable, but I prefer to be talking. I feel like there's so much that needs to be said, yet I can't think of anything to say. 

"I wasn't plotting against you. Mostly." Baz says, a smile lifting the corners of his lips. "I was trying to find a way to make my feelings go away. But I think that if you'd told me a few hours ago, I wouldn't have believed you either. I'd have thought it was too good to be true. I never thought that the perfect Simon Snow would like me back."

"I'm not perfect." I say, and he rolls his eyes, clearly not believing me.

"Sure, Snow." 

"I'm not." I insist. 

"Name one thi-"

"I'm technically cheating on Agatha right now." I tell him, then look out the window again because I don't want to see how he reacts to that.

"Technically?" He asks, and I can hear the frown in his voice.

"I don't know. It was weird at the end of last year. I think she doesn't like me much anymore. At least, not as her boyfriend. I don't know if we're still technically a thing." 

Baz was quiet, driving along, and the tension of it is killing me. I don't know what he's thinking of me now.

"She's not a good girlfriend." He finally says. 

"She's not good?" I say, confused, turning to look at him. His jaw is set, and Crowley that looks good.

He nods, firmly.

"I just told you I'm cheating on her and you're saying SHE'S not good?" I'm so confused right now.

"She's always watching me." Baz says. "You saw us in the woods at the end of last year, didn't you?"

I nod. I remember. Right before Penelope and I were taken by the Humdrum.

"I think she was trying to flirt." Baz says. "I don't know why, Simon, I think she thinks I've been watching her the whole time."

"You have!" I'm confused now. "I see you looking at- oh."

"Yes." Baz squeezes my hand. "It was always you. And when you accused me of trying to steal her, I went along with it. It wound you up, and it was easier than explaining the real reason. It gave me a chance to get away with it more often as well. You're good looking, what can I say?"

I think I'm blushing. Does he really think I look good?

"I still feel like I'm cheating on her." I say, guiltily. "Even if she did try to cheat on me with you first."

"Break up with her then." Baz says, simply. "You're not going to see her all summer anyway, are you?"

"How do I do that, though?" I ask.

"Phone her. You do have a phone?"

I shake my head, embarrassed. Phones aren't allowed at Watford and nobody would ever buy me one for the summer. I don't have any money for one myself.

"Borrow mine when we get back. We'll get you one when we can." Baz tells me.

"I couldn't let you-" 

"My family is rich, Snow, and they don't need all that money. I will buy you a phone." He says firmly, and I know it's no use arguing with him.

"Thank you." I mumble. 

He smiles at me, squeezing my hand again, and I squeeze back. The redness has finally faded from around his eyes, and I think I must look better too.

B A Z

We arrive back at my house soon enough.

I never thought I'd be lucky enough to get Simon to come back here, especially under the circumstances. 

As we get out the car, I walk around to take his hand again, pressing a kiss to his cheek as I do. It's still late at night, and I know my family are asleep, so it should be easy enough to get Simon in without a fuss.

"Here it is." I say, and his expression is one of amazement.

"This is a house?" He asks. "It looks like Watford, and that's an entire school!"

I bite my lip to stop myself from grinning at how adorable he is, and tug his hand slightly to lead him in. Unlocking the door, I push it open. The bottom floor is dark. Good. 

"Are you alright?" Simon asks, gently. "You seem nervous."

Should I tell him the truth? I don't want to make him feel bad or like he's intruding. But then I don't want him to reveal himself to my family either.

"My dad... he doesn't really like the fact that I'm gay." I explain, as I close the front door behind him. The lights floating in the alcoves up the stairs turn on as I do so, and we head up towards my room. 

Simon nods, understandingly. "So... you don't want him to know I'm here?" 

I'm so relieved that he realised exactly what I'm worried about and that he isn't offended that I have to stop kiss him quickly. "Yes. We can deal with it soon enough, but for now I'd rather that you're my secret."

Simon smiles at the kiss, but his forehead is creased and he's chewing his lip. "I don't want to get you in trouble, Baz... maybe I should-"

"No!" I burst out, cutting him off. This is exactly what I didn't want. I pull him into my room and close the door behind us, turning to face him and taking his other hand. "No, Snow, I will not let you go back to that orphanage. You said it yourself, you have nothing except the clothes you're wearing."

Simon still looks unconvinced. "Your parents really don't like me, though, do they? It makes it even worse that it's me."

I can't bear his incessant worrying. I can't bear to let him leave, so I do the only thing I can think of to change his mind. I push him against the wall and I kiss him again.

S I M O N

Everything I was just fretting about goes out of my head the instant Baz kisses me. I slip one hand up to run through the hair at the back of his neck, and the other is around his middle, pulling him closer to me. 

I never want to leave.

He finally pulls back, eyes still worried, and I grin.

"I'll stay."

He sighs in relief and lets me go, although I wish he hadn't because I feel cold without him. "Thank you."

"I should be thanking you." I shake my head. "It's your house I'm in."

I now get the opportunity to look around his room. He has an enormous four-poster bed, with gargoyles on it. Why gargoyles? Can't be very soothing for when you need to sleep. The walls are covered in panels or red fabric. It would be creepy, if Baz wasn't here with me. But he is, so it's comfortable and just right.

"You probably want to borrow some pyjamas." Baz says, and goes rooting through a drawer to give me some. I take them and he draws the curtains around his bed so that he can change inside and I am change out. Once we're both done, he opens the curtains again, moving to place his folded uniform on the seat in his room. 

"Should I..." I gesture to the sofa. He purses his lips, and nods. I start moving over, and then suddenly he's shaking his head.

"No, Simon, come back. I'm too scared I'll wake up and you'll be gone." He holds out an arm to me.

I smile, moving over and letting him pull me up next to him on the bed. We lie down, facing each other, heavy duvet up and over our shoulders, and I want to talk. I don't want to just lie here, being useless, but I can't think of anything to say.

"Snow?" Baz says, and he sounds so sleepy. 

"Yes?" I ask, watching him blink blearily. He looks so cute like this. I wonder if I look as tired as I feel.

"Stay."

"I can't go anywhere, Baz." I say, smile creeping into my voice.

"I know. But you have to stay."

"What do you mean?" He's so tired that I don't think he can string together a sentence properly. I realise now that his knuckles are still split, like they were when I found him in the car, but they've scabbed over now. I catch his hand as it's up by his chin and kiss the knuckles gently, wishing I had my wand to heal him, but it's with my clothes over on the sofa.

"Just, don't leave me alone. Not ever again."

"I won't, Baz. I promise."

He yawns, and it makes me yawn too, but then he's reaching out to drape his arm over my middle. Our foreheads are touching, and I can feel our feet knocking together. I put my arm over his waist too, and we fall asleep like that, close together, and I've never felt happier falling asleep in a room with Baz before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but I am so chuffed with my word count you don't even know
> 
> I think I'm just gonna make this 3 chapters, idk where else it could go after that!
> 
> What are you guys thinking so far?

**Author's Note:**

> There you have it, my first Carry On fic! I might make another version with the reverse, because I wasn't sure whether to have Simon or Baz as the one sneaking out. What do you guys think?


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